The private Oahu circle island tour from Aloha Sunshine Tours is a 10-11 hour customizable day in a private bus for up to 12 at $1,199.99: Waikiki pickup at 7-8 AM, then your choice of 18 stops from Diamond Head to Dole Plantation. It suits groups of 7-12 setting their own pace; the drawback is that meals are extra and delays are not refunded.
Highlights
$1,199.99 per private bus for up to 12 passengers, about $100 a head when full versus $179 per person on the operator's group circle island tour (operator site, October 2026).
18 suggested stops you can reorder or drop: Diamond Head, Halona Blowhole, Makapuu, Kualoa, Kahuku shrimp, Sunset Beach, Pipeline, Sharks Cove, Waimea Bay, Laniakea, Haleiwa, Dole Plantation and Green World Coffee among them.
Private air-conditioned bus with a local guide, hotel pickup and drop-off in Waikiki, water, juice, chips and snorkel gear included.
Departs daily about 8 AM with pickup 7-8 AM; the operator sends pickup updates from 48 hours before.
Operator ratings shown on its site: 4.6 Google, 4.8 TripAdvisor, 4.5 GetYourGuide (October 2026).
What to Expect
Wait at your Waikiki hotel between 7 and 8 AM; the exact time is confirmed from 48 hours before departure.
Agree the day's stops and order with the guide; the suggested route runs clockwise from Diamond Head along the southeast coast.
Stop at Halona Blowhole, Sandy Beach, Makapuu and Waimanalo on the windward side, with Leonard's malasadas at Koko Marina if you choose.
Continue north past Kualoa Regional Park to Kahuku for a shrimp-truck lunch at your own cost, as many stands are cash only.
Visit the North Shore beaches, Turtle Bay, Sunset, Pipeline, Sharks Cove, Waimea Bay and Laniakea, with snorkel gear supplied if conditions allow.
Finish through Haleiwa, Dole Plantation and Green World Coffee Farms before the drive back to Waikiki about 10-11 hours after pickup.
What's Included
Private air-conditioned bus for up to 12
Local guide narration
Waikiki hotel pickup and drop-off
Water, juice and chips
Snorkel gear
What's Not Included
Meals
Towels
Gratuities
Admission to any paid attraction (not mentioned as included)
What to Bring
Cash for shrimp trucks and roadside stands
Swimwear, towel and a change of clothes
Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses
Camera
Restrictions and Requirements
Waiver signed at booking
Some attractions are first come, first served; admission not guaranteed
No refunds for delays from traffic, weather, mechanical problems or denied access to a stop
Pickup limited to the Waikiki area
Cancellation Policy
Changes and cancellations are free up to 24 hours before the tour starts; no-shows and changes or cancellations within 24 hours are charged in full, and no refunds are given once the tour has started. Checked October 2026 on alohasunshinetours.com.
Hotel pickup in the Waikiki area; exact time confirmed from 48 hours before
Check-In
Be ready between 7 and 8 AM
Parking and Getting There
Not applicable; private bus tour
Ratings from every source we could find
Google
4.6
review count not shown
TripAdvisor
4.8
review count not shown
GetYourGuide
4.5
review count not shown
Google Maps — Summarized by Our Team
Limited independent review volume found for this specific listing; general private-tour sentiment in this category favors flexibility over the fixed stops of shared shuttles.
Last checked 2026-09-15
Ratings and review counts are checked periodically and may not reflect same-day changes on each platform.
What the Reviews Say
We read 6 reviews displayed on the operator's homepage (TripAdvisor, Google and GetYourGuide, August to October 2026, 4-5 stars), none of them about the private circle island tour, collected October 2026. The ratings below are the operator-wide scores the site displays.
What Reviewers Praise
Guides praised by name(4 of the 6 reviews we read)
Four reviewers single out their guide for knowledge and friendliness, which is the main variable on a customizable private day.
— Google, 5★, September 2026: a guest called the guide "excellent", informative and friendly.
Pickup changes communicated in advance(1 of the 6 reviews we read)
One reviewer noted a changed pickup time but said it was communicated the night before, matching the operator's 48-hour update policy.
— TripAdvisor, 5★, September 2026: the pickup time changed but the guest was told the evening before.
What Reviewers Complain About
Disorganized pickup with a long wait(1 of the 6 reviews we read · operator issue · most recent: August 2026)
One GetYourGuide reviewer waited almost an hour at pickup on another of the operator's tours; the private tour's 7-8 AM pickup window leaves similar room for delay.
— GetYourGuide, 5★, August 2026: praised the guide but said pickup was disorganized with a wait of nearly an hour.
Tour ended earlier than advertised(1 of the 6 reviews we read · operator issue · most recent: September 2026)
On the operator's Road to Hana tour a reviewer said the day ended well short of the advertised length with a short lunch; a private group should agree the end time at the start.
— GetYourGuide, 4★, September 2026: the tour finished early and lunch was rushed, and the guide did not introduce himself.
About the Operator in General
Aloha Sunshine Tours displays 4.6 on Google, 4.8 on TripAdvisor and 4.5 on GetYourGuide plus a Trustindex 'Top Rated 2026' badge; of the 6 recent reviews shown, 4 are 5-star praise for guides and 2 mention pickup delays or a shortened day on other tours.
Our Verdict
Tripreviewall's Take
At $1,199.99 the private bus only beats the operator's $179-per-person group circle island tour once you have 7 or more people, so it is a family-reunion or two-family purchase rather than a couple's upgrade. The value is control: you pick which of 18 stops to keep and how long to stay. Couples and groups under 6 should book the shared tour or hire a car.
Book This Tour If…
You are a group of 7-12, where the per-head cost drops below the $179 group tour
You want to linger at North Shore beaches or skip Dole Plantation without a fixed schedule
You are staying in Waikiki, where pickup is offered
You accept paying for your own lunch at shrimp trucks and stands
Skip This Tour If…
You are 2-6 people; the shared tour at $179 each is cheaper
You expect meals or attraction admissions in the price
You need a refund if traffic or a closed attraction cuts the day short; none is offered
You are staying outside Waikiki
Tips From Reviewers and Operator Notes
Use the operator's code 'Direct' for 10% off on its site, or call 808-824-3995 for a better rate (operator site, October 2026)
Agree the finish time and must-see stops with the guide at pickup, given the shortened-day complaint on another tour
Bring cash; the operator warns many food stops are cash only
Expect a 7-8 AM pickup window and watch for the update sent 48 hours before
Ask whether Pearl Harbor can replace a stop; it appears in the operator's image names but not the itinerary
Assessed by the Tripreviewall editorial team, last reviewed October 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the private Oahu circle island tour?
The private customizable Oahu Grand Circle Island tour from Aloha Sunshine Tours costs $1,199.99 for a private bus carrying up to 12 passengers on the operator's website as of October 2026. That is about $100 per person when full, compared with $179 per person on the operator's shared circle island tour.
How long is the private Oahu circle island tour?
The tour lasts about 10 to 11 hours, departing Waikiki around 8 AM after a 7 to 8 AM pickup. Because the stops, order and time at each are customizable, a group can shorten the day by dropping stops such as Dole Plantation or the coffee farm.
What stops are on the private Oahu circle island tour?
The suggested route has 18 stops: Diamond Head, Koko Marina, Halona Blowhole, Sandy Beach, Makapuu, Waimanalo, Kualoa, Kahuku, Turtle Bay, Sunset Beach, Pipeline, Sharks Cove, Waimea Bay, Laniakea, Puaena Point, Haleiwa, Dole Plantation and Green World Coffee. Groups can reorder or remove any of them.
Is lunch included on the private circle island tour?
No. Meals, towels and gratuities are not included; water, juice and chips are. The operator advises bringing cash because many shrimp trucks and roadside stands on the route are cash only.
Where does the private circle island tour pick up?
Pickup is from hotels and resorts in the Waikiki area between 7 and 8 AM, with the exact time sent starting 48 hours before the tour. One reviewer of another Aloha Sunshine tour reported a nearly hour-long wait at pickup, so allow slack in your morning.
What is the cancellation policy for the private circle island tour?
Changes and cancellations are free up to 24 hours before the tour; inside 24 hours, and for no-shows, the full price is charged, and nothing is refunded once the tour begins. The operator also gives no refunds for delays caused by traffic, weather or closed attractions.
Contact
The operator's phone and email appear here after you check availability on one of their booking sites. Live prices and open dates are only shown there.
Already checked? The details appear automatically when you come back to this tab.
This is the tour operator's own contact info, shared for general questions — not for bookings. Book through the booking links for real-time availability and the best price.
TripReviewAll is an independent review site and does not operate this tour. For changes to an existing booking, contact Aloha Sunshine Tours directly.
